Hometown: Decatur, GA
What's something on your bucket list?
As an avid sports fan who loves attending golf tournaments, playing a round with my closest buddies at The Old Course in St. Andrews is something I’ve had on the top of my bucket list forever.
What actor would you cast to play yourself in a movie about yourself and why?
Aziz Ansari. Per my wife, it’s because “you are both annoying on a level unmatched ever in the history of time.”
What's your favorite place you've traveled to and why?
Lombok, Indonesia. Lombok is an island in Indonesia east of Bali and is still untouched by tourists and the beaches are pristine. My wife and I were lucky enough to travel over to Indonesia on our honeymoon, and instantly fell in love with the organic food, nature, and welcoming people.
Favorite family tradition:
Diwali! The annual festival also nicknamed “The Festival of Lights” is the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil and ultimately is a multi-day party consisting of dressing in colorful clothing, lighting up the inside and outside of our homes and lighting fireworks. These activities coupled with the traditional Gandhi Family twist allow for a memorable few days that I look forward to every year.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
I moved to the U.S. when I was 18 months old, which makes me an immigrant, but more closely aligned to a first-generation American. Being a first generation immigrant means that you have to grow up quicker than other kids. You have the responsibility as a young child to help your parents navigate through processes they don’t understand given the language barrier. This also means that you do not receive the foundational support and advice from your parents at pivotal life milestones, such as college admissions and job interviews. My proudest accomplishment is conquering such milestones and ultimately furthering my education by obtaining an MBA from a prestigious school like Georgia Tech.
What did you want to be when you were small?
As a child, aside from wanting to be a professional baseball player, I really loved going to the airport and specifically loved flying. I also loved the TV Cartoon “Swat Kats” which ultimately led to my obsession with pilots.
What is your latest book recommendation?
Anything that Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner collaborate on is fantastic reading. I would recommend all of their Freakonomics Series. “Freakonomics,” “Super Freakonomics,” “Think Like a Freak,” and “When to Rob a Bank”.
Your life story in one sentence:
I live to eat.
My favorite restaurant in Atlanta:
My favorite restaurant in the Atlanta area is El Rey Del Taco. My wife and I are enthusiastic foodies, and whilst we enjoy fine dining, we find that the small, hole-in-the-wall restaurants are always the best. It’s not just about the food, but the culture behind it which makes it my favorite.
My favorite comfort food or family recipe:
Whenever I’m sick or I’ve been traveling for a while, my comfort food is my mother’s homemade Gujarati food. Gujarat is a state along the western coast of India which is where my family originated from many years ago. The food is very rustic and is quite low on the Indian food rankings, but there’s something about Mom’s home cooking that I will always gravitate towards.
